1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for processing data in a mobile terminal equipped with a camera, and more particularly to a device and method for displaying image data and user interface (UI) data in a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals have recently developed into structures capable of transmitting high-speed data as well as voice communications. Mobile communication networks based on the international mobile telecommunication-2000 (IMT-2000) standard can implement high-speed data communication as well as voice communication using the mobile terminal. Data capable of being processed in the mobile terminal for performing the data communication can be packet data and image data.
Conventionally, an image processing device includes a camera for capturing an image and a display unit for displaying the image captured by the camera. The camera can use a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. As camera devices have become smaller, image capturing devices are further miniaturized. Mobile terminals equipped with camera devices are becoming increasingly popular. A mobile terminal can capture images, and display moving and still pictures. Mobile terminals can also transmit the captured images to a base station.
The mobile terminal equipped with the camera must be able to display user interface (UI) data such as the sensitivity of an RF signal received from a base station, an indicator indicating a remaining amount of battery power, icons or characters for a user interface, etc., and image data captured by the camera or picture or pixel data received from the base station.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a method for displaying image data and user interface (UI) data in a mobile terminal equipped with a camera. As shown in FIG. 1, a display unit 30 includes the first display area 31 for displaying image data captured by the camera 20, the second display area 33 for displaying an operating state of the mobile terminal 10, the third display area 35 for displaying a menu for controlling the image data displayed on the first display area 31, and so on. The image data displayed on the first display area 31 is the image data captured by the camera 20. The items of the UI data displayed on the second and third display areas 33 and 35 are data generated in the mobile terminal 10. The UI data items displayed on the second display area 33 indicate the mobile terminal's reception sensitivity, a remaining amount of battery power, current time data, among other items of interest. The UI data displayed on the third display area 35 can be menu information to be used for selecting a command needed for controlling (e.g., scrolling or zooming) an image or picture currently displayed.
The mobile terminal 10 must be able to appropriately control the image data captured by the camera 20 and UI data generated in the mobile terminal 10 when the image data and UI data are sent to, and displayed on, the display unit 30, as shown in FIG. 1. The mobile terminal 10 must be able to independently control display paths associated with the image data captured by the camera 20 and the UI data for the user interface.